DAILY NATION Friday January 23, 2015 BOYCOTT | Minister had assured civil servants of security when they return home Teachers reject Nkaissery’s offer Knut asks members to continue demo outside TSC’s office to pressure for transfer of those serving in ‘unsafe’ areas BY MARYANNE GICOBI mgicobi@ke.nationmedia.com BY JEREMIAH KIPLANG’AT @jere_kiplangat jkiplangat@ke.nationmedia.com T eachers in northern Kenya yesterday dismissed calls by Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery to go back to work and continued protesting outside their employer’s office. The tutors vowed not to leave the Teachers Service Commission headquarters until they are issued with deployment letters. Mr Nkaissery told them the government had put adequate measures in place to ensure they are safe from Al-Shabaab, but the teachers insisted that the officers at Wajir, Garissa and Mandera County were not enough. The attacks were happening in spite of the presence of police officers, they said. Others countered that they taught in schools far away from Administration Police camps. TSC Secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni yesterday met the chairman of the National Assembly’s committee on Administration and National Security, Mr Asman Kamama, to discuss the matter. Through their spokesperson John Nyongesa, a teacher from Mandera County, they said that in spite of Wajir, Garissa and Mandera County having security officers, insecurity was still persistent. “Those teachers who want to go back can go, but for us camping here, we can only return if the government National News 9 Cord urges fair play over TV licences BY NATION REPORTER The opposition has condemned the decision by the communication authority to withdraw digital licences from three media houses, terming it retrogressive and an assault to free press. In a statement sent to news- rooms, Cord leader Raila Odinga termed the tussle over distribution of digital broadcast licences a farce, saying that it was “a continuation of the attempt to punish and control the local news media.” “We are rushing towards a farce, tragedy and collapse, through what is clearly an ill-informed effort to consolidate power and business by curtailing and controlling media freedom. We ought to stop,” said Mr Odinga. Awareness advert The Communications Authority EVANS HABRIL | NATION Teachers stationed in northern counties at Teachers Service Commission offices in Nairobi yesterday. The more than 300 teachers have been camping at their employer’s offices demanding transfers due to insecurity in region. offers us military training and issues us with guns,” Mr Nyongesa told Nation at TSC offices in Nairobi. Mr Nyongesa, who teaches at Takaba Secondary School in Mandera, proposed radical measures like having the teachers trained to handle guns and being issued with one each. “That is the only way we will be sure that we are safe,” said Mr Nyongesa, outside TSC, where more than 300 of them are camping. The teachers are opposed to going back to the region following an attack by Al Shabaab militia men that left 28 people dead, most of them teachers. Kenya National Union of Teachers Chairman Mudzo Nzili asked TSC to handle the situation “with a human heart”. “These teachers witnessed their colleagues being butchered in cold blood and they are traumatised,” said Mr Nzili. Lawmakers from northern Kenya yesterday criticised Knut for asking teachers not to report to schools in their region because of insecurity. They said it was wrong for the union to continue to “incite” teachers yet their security had been guaranteed. “We are not happy with what Sos- sion (Knut secretary-general) is telling teachers. We want to tell him that he is not the employer of the teachers. Security has been beefed up and teachers should now go back,” said Mandera East MP Abdulaziz Farah. Speaking to journalists yesterday, Those who want to go back can. But for us camping here, we can only return if the government offers us military training and issues us with guns” Mr John Nyongesa, a teacher the lawmakers said several schools faced closure because of lack of teachers. Mr Farah accused the union of incitement. Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow said the situation was getting dire by the day, while Wajir East MP Abass Sheikh said leaders in the region had worked hard to ensure there is security. of Kenya on Wednesday temporarily suspended the digital broadcast licences of Nation Media Group, Standard Group and Royal Media Services after the three carried an advert cautioning viewers against buying digital set-top boxes distributed by GOtv and Chinese-owned StarTimes. The three media houses have since said they will go to court terming the withdrawal harsh and inconsiderate of the billions spent setting up infrastructure to enable digital broadcasting. In his statement, he urged Kenyans to hold the government accountable and demand fairness and access to information. “I urge the Jubilee administra- tion to recognise that the business of news and information is a delicate affair that carries the destiny of nations. It must be treated as such,” the ODM leader added. P.O. 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